Last Updated: September 28, 2021
Visiting Port Willunga Beach Caves: All You Need To Know
Port Willunga Beach Caves are one of the most photographed tourist attractions in Australia, and you’ve come to the right place if you want to know more about them!
I’ll tell you everything you need to know about the unique caves, including how to reach them, what you can do in the area, and where you should stay. Read on to learn more about Port Willunga beach caves and see why they attract so many tourists and locals every year!
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How To Get to Port Willunga Beach Caves?
The easiest way to reach Port Willunga Beach Caves is to just drive there. It takes about 40 minutes to get there from Adelaide, which is the closest big city to this unique attraction.
If you’re trying to get to Port Willunga from anywhere else in Australia, you’ll need to fly to Adelaide first. Melbourne is the closest big city to Adelaide, and it’s about 9 hours away by car and some 12 hours away by train. Flying is certainly the quickest way to reach Adelaide, and definitely the best option if you don’t want to waste any time.
Driving from Adelaide to Port Willunga is the most convenient way of traveling to the caves, especially if you want to spend the day on the beach and have total freedom. There’s a parking lot just above the Port Willunga beach, plus there’s street parking in the area so it shouldn’t be an issue to find a spot for the car.
You can reach the caves from Adelaide with public transport, but it takes at least an hour and a half and it requires you to ride a train and a bus. The journey can easily take more than two hours, so driving remains the most convenient way of traveling between Adelaide and Port Willunga.
But if that’s not an option, you’ll want to get on the train to Seaford and travel to Noarlunga Railway Station. From there, get on the 750 bus, which stops directly above the fantastic beach with the unique caves.
However, traveling by public transport is time-consuming, and it limits the amount of freedom you have since you are conditioned by the train and bus timetables. If you end up traveling to Port Willunga by public transport, consider spending the night in the town so you can have plenty of time to see all the attractions in the area. This is especially a good idea if you enjoy snorkeling and would like to explore the wreckage of a sunken ship.
Where Should You Stay?
If you just want to visit the caves for a day or two, you could just stay in Port Willunga. The suburb has a lot of accommodation options for visitors, and the vast sandy beach is beautiful enough that you won’t want to be anywhere else for those two days. However, there’s really not much else to do in the area other than seeing the caves and the beach, so keep that in mind.
Because of that, it’s much better to stay in Adelaide and visit Port Willunga on a day trip. The suburb is less than an hour away from Adelaide by car, and the drive is scenic enough that the time will pass quickly.
Adelaide is one of the largest cities in Australia, with loads of fun and exciting things to do and see. If you want to see the fascinating caves at Port Willunga beach but also do some city exploring, then it’s definitely better to stay in Adelaide.
In case you are camping, head to Rapid Bay Campground. It’s about an hour (by car) away from the caves, but it’s the perfect campsite if you like the idea of camping on the beach. It’s a vehicle-only campsite featuring a spectacular beach and stunning ocean views, and it’s very cheap at about $12.50 per person for one night.
Is The Hype Worth It?
Image courtesy of Dietmar Down Under
Port Willunga Beach Caves are an astonishing sight, and people who enjoy seeing natural attractions will certainly love it here. They’re fascinating, and the views of the caves and the beach are just incredibly beautiful. Also, it’s always colder inside the caves, so they’re a great place to escape the scorching Australian heat.
These are man-made caves that were hewn into the face of the cliff and they were used by fishermen to store boats. They’re unlike any other beach-side attraction in Australia, and certainly worth your time if you like weird and unique things. Just be careful while exploring the caves – they’re not very big and taller people should be careful not to bump their heads against the cave ceilings.
If you’re not that interested in natural attractions, then you likely won’t have such a good time in Port Willunga. The caves are certainly fun to see, but there’s not much else you can do in the area, other than spend your time on the beach. It’s worth noting that the vast sandy beach is one of the best beaches on Fleurieu Peninsula, and it’s so big that you can always have a small section all to yourself.
Port Willunga beach is very popular for swimming and paddleboarding, but not so much for surfing. The ocean is not too wavy here thanks to the almost-cove shape of the beach. Port Willunga Jetty Pylons are also popular with visitors, and along with the unique caves, they add some mystery to this sandy beach.
Sunsets on Port Willunga beach are particularly stunning, so don’t you dare head home while there’s still daylight. There’s a restaurant on the cliffs overlooking the beach, so you don’t have to worry about food or drinks. It’s a fine-dining restaurant named after the Star of Greece shipwreck, and it serves some rather delicious Mediterranean dishes.
Port Willunga Jetty Pylons
The pylons scattered at Port Willunga beach are all that remains from the old jetty. It was originally built back in 1853, and at the time it was the busiest port in this area.
The sight of the scattered pylons with the turquoise water in the back is absolutely stunning, and certainly reason enough to visit the Port Willunga beach. When you also add the shipwreck and the caves into the equation, it quickly becomes clear why this simple sandy beach is the highlight of South Australia.
Everything on this beach is a reminder that the place was once extremely important for the region. The beach was very popular for fishing and the caves are an homage to that. It was also the busiest grain port in South Australia, and both the jetty and the sunken ship that was carrying 16,000 bags of wheat are a testament to the rich history of Port Willunga beach.
The Star Of Greece
The Star of Greece shipwreck is another popular attraction on the Port Willunga beach. Originally constructed in Belfast, the three-masted ship got caught in a severe storm in July of 1888. Although it was just a few hundred meters away from the shore, the ship ultimately sank, and it remains there to this day.
When the tide is low, you can actually see the mast sticking out of the sea, which is pretty amazing. The underwater wreckage is now home to all sorts of fish and aquatic plants, which makes it very popular for snorkeling and diving. Guided diving and snorkeling tours of the shipwreck are popular in the summer months, and it’s possible to reach the wreckage with SUPs and kayaks on clear and calm days.
Can You Bring Kids?
Yes, absolutely! Although they might not be as impressed with the caves inside the cliff, they can certainly have fun swimming in the ocean, playing on the beach, and running around the old jetty pylons. The lack of huge waves here makes the beach great for kids who want to go swimming. Also, since it’s a huge sandy beach, the amount of fun they can have playing in the sand is pretty much unlimited.
You can also go snorkeling with the kids and see the Star of Greece shipwreck. This experience can be fun for both kids and adults, as long as no one is scared of the many fish and plants near the sunken ship.
Port Willunga beach is very popular for stand-up paddleboarding and kayaking, and you can rent both SUPs and kayaks in town. Both are a great way to gain a new perspective on the beach – see the caves and pylons from the water, and make your way all the way to the shipwreck for the full Port Willunga experience.
While You’re In The Area…
…don’t miss out on the chance to also see Aldinga Beach. Walking from Port Willunga beach to Aldinga Beach is actually a popular thing to do – the walk is easy, scenic, and can be completed in under an hour. Aldinga Beach is exceptionally beautiful, and it’s one of the best beaches in all of South Australia. It’s not a great beach for surfing though, since the waves are not very big.
Kangaroo Island is also a very popular tourist destination in the area, but it’s not exactly something you can properly explore on a day trip. The island is famous for its pristine nature, spectacular wildlife, and gorgeous wilderness.
Protected nature preserves make up more than a third of Kangaroo Island, and they’re home to a variety of bird species, koalas, sea lions, and kangaroos. If you’re doing a tour of Southern Australia, you certainly won’t regret spending a few days on the third largest island in the country!
About the Author Anna Timbrook
Anna is the co-owner of expert world travel and can't wait to share her travel experience with the world. With over 54 countries under her belt she has a lot to write about! Including those insane encounters with black bears in Canada.
